Child's Toy
by SugarApple
Summary: -snort- "So is that it? Why don't you be a REAL gentlemen and tell me why it's over Tenzin?" –sigh- "Lin…we've gone over thi-" "Don't give me that, tell me the truth Tenzin, say it." "I…..it's…..you can't.." "I can't WHAT?" "…You can't have children." "Right." Assumptions are often entirely wrong; and in Lin's case...it's adorably hilarious.


_**Child's Toy**_

A/N: You know, I've seen this done a million times…..but I wanted to try my hand at this. I seriously love Lin, Tenzin, Bumi and the rest of the remnants from the old GaAng. This is dedicated to them…and also Lin; because I seriously love my Lin.

**Summary:** -snort- "So is that it? Why don't you be a REAL gentlemen and tell me why it's over Tenzin?" –sigh- "Lin…we've gone over thi-" "Don't give me that, tell me the truth Tenzin, say it." "I…..it's…..you can't.." "I can't WHAT?" "…You can't have children." "Right. Don't let the door hit you where the Avatar split you." "W-What?" "Get. Out." Assumptions are often entirely, hilariously wrong; fortunately for Lin…..her world was about to be turned upside down….for better or for worse.

* * *

**Chapter One:** _Bittersweet Endings & Rude Awakenings_

"Lin….please, say something?"

Blue-grey eyes locked onto steely greens in an expression that was almost helpless. Tenzin swallowed nervously and clasped his hands behind his back firmly, resisting the urge to tug at his collar that'd all of a sudden become too tight. The moonlight splashed over his clean-shaven head and illuminated it in sparkles from his own nervous sweat. Across from him, the earthbending tigress merely watched him and crossed one leg over the other.

Trees rustled, lemurs chattered, while distant waves stirred in the sea.

The two of them however, were completely alone.

"What do you want me to say _Tenzin_?"

The nomad flinched inwardly when she spat his name, "I don't know Lin. Your input would be nice right now."

"My input?" Lin repeated evenly, "I came to talk, only to find out you're breaking up with me…..and you want my _input_? Do you hear how ridiculous you sound?"

"I just want us to be able to talk this out and come out of this on good terms, but we can't when you explode every five seconds! All we do is argue, we don't even see eye to eye anymore!" Tenzin flailed his arms for emphasis, his eyebrows rising until they reached the back of his skull. Lin chuckled lowly and her shoulders rolled slightly. Instead of retaliating, she only covered her mouth and looked at him wryly.

She snorted, "So that's it? It's because we 'can't play nice' anymore? Why won't you be a real gentleman and tell me why it's over Tenzin?"

The air nomad's shoulders slumped and he sank down on the bench next to Lin. Leaning forward, he rested one forearm on a knee and held his head heavily in his other hand. A guttural sigh escaped him and he averted her hard eyes, instead pledging his gaze to the ground. _'Don't make me do this Lin. It hurts too much already. After __**everything**__ we've been through, you'll always remain the One. It's just…with all of this…..you can't be my last…'_

_Then why won't you say it?_

Tenzin visibly straightened and turned towards his bestfriend, the love of his life, "Lin…we've gone over thi-"

The earthbender cut him off abruptly, glaring at him through narrowed slits. "Don't give me that nonsense again Tenzin, tell me the truth. _Say it_."

"I….it's…..you can't…"

"I can't WHAT?"

His eyes slid away from hers, "…You can't have children."

"Right."

Lin rose abrupt from the bench and, out of reflex, Tenzin followed suit. For a moment seeming like forever, the pair just stared at one another. Both of their expressions were identical, faces wound in a tight grimace with two pairs of eyes flashing through history. Lin's lips curled into a deep frown as the cold, gnarled hand of nostalgia gripped her barely beating heart in a vice.

_The heat was unbearable; stifling, ridiculously humid…and they had the nerve to stuff her into an ugly party dress. _

_Technically the dress wasn't ugly, but the way the jade-green ao dai fanned out around her long legs coupled with the itchy tight sleeves were enough to drive her insane. Lin scowled and picked at the golden tie around the collar; as if she weren't gangly and awkward enough….they had to put her in a dress._

_Tenzin was going to laugh his head off._

_She had to admit the dress wasn't that bad, but she was Lin Bei Fong! Bei Fongs, as far as she was concerned, didn't do dresses! Still, Lin trudged after her mother and her uncle Sokka as they paced up the steps to Air Temple island, fully convinced that this day would be a disaster._

"_You alright Shortness?" Toph asked after registering her daughter's agitated footsteps, "What's eatin' ya?"_

"_Mom this dress itches, and it's ugly." The twelve year old picked at one of the sleeves, utterly disgusted, "Can we get uncle Zuko to burn it?"_

"_Uh Lin, I don't think you'd want uncle Jerkbender to burn that, it's all you're wearing today," Sokka laughed. Then, suddenly becoming serious he added, "And there will be prying eyes and boys there. I will not allow any debauchery to befall you! NONE OF IT!"_

_Punch._

"_Ow, Toph!"_

"_Can it Snoozles!" The earthbender barked and bent down to Lin's level, "I'll tell ya a secret shortstop, Mommy doesn't really care for dresses either. But! Today is a special occasion, so it's important we wear 'em, okay?"_

_Lin pouted, "Fine."_

"_And," Toph grinned with her voice hushed,"If you're good, we can throw some good ol' mud around as a little 'after party'. Whaddaya say to that?"_

_Lin grinned immediately, "Yes!"_

_Sokka chuckled, "Don't look now princess, but there's someone here to see you."_

_Sokka nodded up the steps and Toph pulled back in step with him. Lin, confused, spun on her heel and ran right into a bald head with big ears. The two of them hit the ground with a thud and rolled onto the grass. Lin blinked and gave a soft groan._

"_Ow. Watch it baldy!"_

_Baldy, er Tenzin, rubbed his head and ignored her barb. He stood up and extended his hand, "Sorry Lin. Lemme help you up." Lin took his hand and, for a moment, the two of them just watched one another. Neither of them noticed the others watching them from the sidelines._

"_What?" Lin dead-panned._

_Tenzin blushed and squeaked, "N-Nothing. You just….I think you look really nice….today."_

_The little earthbender blinked, "You….you do?"_

"_Mm-hmm." Tenzin's cheeks flushed brightly and he extended his arm,, "G-Green's really pretty on you Lin." _

_Lin blinked twice and, with her anxiety slipping away, allowed him to lead her into the courtyard; a tint of pink on her cheeks to match her lovely green._

She was backhanded by a cold slap from reality, and forced into the present. She and Tenzin were no longer children fumbling around on the brink of teenhood. They were adults now, and, as much as it frightened her to realize, the two of them were for the first time growing apart.

And it _hurt_.

"You…are an idiot."

Tenzin frowned and looked at her, "What?"

"You heard me," Lin spat, her hands curling into fists. "After everything, everything we've been through….you want to throw it all away. Drop me like an old tradition as if I never mattered at all."

"Lin, you know that isn't true! And you know why I have to-"

"WHY?" She opened her arms and turned toward the acolyte building, "I know _exactly_ why." Lin rotated away from the structure and stalked over to him, gaze as hard as ice.

"You were the only man I ever loved and, honestly I don't think I'll ever love another the way I did you. I was wrong in thinking you felt the same way, seeing as your loyalties lie elsewhere now. I know the story, I know the reasons, and I'm tired Tenzin. If this is what you want, so be it. I'm sick of arguing."

Tenzin, master and last airbender in the world, fixed his best friend with an unreadable expression. He so badly wanted to slap a hand over his face and run it down, but resisted. This entire ordeal was a big mess, and it was unfair that it pitted him against the only woman he ever really loved. To say Tenzin was desperate for Lin to understand that would be an understatement; she could be as unreasonable as her element sometimes.

'And this would be one of them.'

He reached for her and she jerked away from him, eyes prickling and lips pursed. Tenzin stopped short and his arm dangled there for a while. He scowled in response; Lin was hurt…she was hurt and he was the one who'd done this to her.

'Let's try a different angle…' "Lin?"

Silence.

He prodded carefully, "Lin….what did you want to talk to me about?"

Her recoil at his question did not go unnoticed by him. The airbender was suddenly on edge now, 'What in the?' "Lin? What's-"

"_None of your business._" She hissed. Her momentary vulnerability was devoured by a callous mask, and her usual cat-like eyes were now narrowed to slits. Tenzin was all but confused now, why was she so defensive?

"I think we're done here." The tone was unmistakably hard, yet so soft he almost hadn't heard it. Before he caught on to what was happening, Lin was already heading for the ferry back to Republic City. She'd gotten her foot on the third step when a hand enclosed around her wrist.

She wrenched away.

"Have a happy eternity Tenzin," Lin droned, toneless, "Don't let the door hit you where the Avatar split you."

"….What?"

"Get. Out." The earthbender slid her foot forward and shut the door of the ferry in his face. Seconds later, the vessel backed out of the harbor and sailed towards the city.

The airbender looked on.

The earthbender never looked back.

oOOo

"Well, 'bout time you came….home…?" Pale green eyes swiveled in the direction of the doorway as bare feet scraped a chair from the table. She had little time to react before long arms enveloped her in a bone-crushing hug.

Silence wedged between them, neither of them saying a word.

She ran her fingers through jet black waves and grimaced at the shivering response.

"It's okay, shhh, baby it's okay."

Like a worn dam overfilled, tears burst forth and all the heartache she'd struggled to hold spilled. Lin sank to floor, her head in her mother's lap and her arms wrapped tightly around her waist. Snot rolled, skin blushed, hair became a tangled mess and nothing she said made sense.

Her mother leaned forward and pressed her face against her daughter's head, holding her close. She sighed heavily and closed her eyes, plagued by gut-wrenching sobs.

"It hurts Lin, it hurts now and it will for a while. But remember that our hearts were made to heal, and that this will only make you stronger." Toph made gentle circles on her daughter's quivering backside, humming an old song she couldn't care to remember the words for at the moment. Lin shuddered and warbled something unintelligent before spluttering again. This time, Toph leaned her head back and inwardly cursed the spirits. 'I never wanted this for you Lin, never. Not to have to go through what I did.'

Lin felt a pair of hands tracing around her jawline until they found her chin. Her head was lifted up, and she found herself looking into pale eyes contrite with worry and something else she couldn't place.

"_Baby, you are a Beifong. Solid like the earth you wield and strong like the metal you bend. This is not the end of you baby, only the beginning. And you know that I'll be with you every step of the way, both of you; you aren't gonna go through this alone. I won't allow it."_

The little earthbender leaned into her mother's hand and sniffed. Toph's pouty mouth stretched into a slow, triumphant smile and Lin's did the same.

And for Lin, that was all she needed to know that everything was going to be okay.

* * *

A/N: And CUT! I am extremely evil...maybe. I LOVE MY LINZIN, but I love Lin even more and the poor girl needs justice. Just so everyone is clear, Lin is 35 in this and Tenzin is 36. Pema is 20. Tell me how you like it friends! Until then!

SEEEECRET TUNNELLL!


End file.
